Regulator for clocks.



No. 650,468. Patented may 29, I900.-

A. M. LANE.

REGULATOR FOR CLOCKS.

(Application filed May 19, 1899.) I (No Model.) 30 /7 y 2 Sheets-8haet m: NORRIS PETERS covv PHOTOLIYNOU WASHINGTON o. c.

No. 650,468. Patented May 29, I900.

A. M. LANE. REGULATOR FOR CLOCKS.

(Application filed May 19. 1899.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2,

wpuonms PETERS $0., Mom-urns WASHINGTON D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT Erica.

ALMERON M. LANE, OF MERIDEN, CONNECTICUT.

REGULATOR FOR CLOCKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters-Eatent No. 650,468, dated May 29, 1900.

Application filed May 19,1899, Serial No. 717,396. (No model.)

To all], whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALMERON M. LANE, a citizen of the United States, residing-in Meriden, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Micrometer-Regulators for Clocks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in micromcter-regulators for clocks; and the main object of my improvement is to provide an efficient regulator fora very short pendulum-rod.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a rear elevation of so much of a clock as is deemed necessary to show my improvement. Fig. 2 is aside elevation of the same with some of the parts at the front in vertical section. Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan view of part of the movement-frame and the main parts of the regulator; and Fig. 4 is a sectional View of parts of the same on the line as .90, Fig. 1,1ookin upwardly.

The front, middle, and rear movementplates 5, 6, and 7 are mounted on posts or pillars 8 and connected with the front rim 9 by means of feet or brackets 10. Said parts are not of themselves peculiar to my present invention, and therefore other parts to which my regulator may be applicable may be substituted therefor. I mount the main parts of my regulator on the partial plate 11, which constitutes a suitable supporting base or frame therefor. The escapement-whecl 12 and its shaft 13 are journaled 1n the middle and rear movement-plates 6 7, while the verge and Verge-shaft 14 and 15, with attached crotch-wire 16, are journaled in the middle movement-plate 6 and partial plate 11.

The pendulum-rod 17 is secured by its upper end or spring portion 18 in the fixed post 19 in any proper manner-as, for example, by means of the pin 20--and passes down through the crotch-wire in the ordinary manner. By the side of the pendulum-rod is a vertical regulating-screw 21, mounted in suitable brackets 22 and 30 on the partial plate 11 and having at one end the pinion or gear 23. The

threaded body of this regulating-screw passes through threaded lugs 24 of the verticallyarranged friction-slide 25, which carries a slotted guide 26, through which the spring portion 18 of the pendulum-rod extends. The said threaded lugs form a threaded bearing for the slide that extends longitudinally to the regulatingscrcw a distance in excess of the diameter thereof. The said frictionslide is provided on its front side with afriction-spring 27, Fig. 4, the ends of which bear upon the rear of the partial plate 11 under tension, so as to impart sufficient friction to the said slide 25 and regulating-screw 21 to make the said slide and screw stay in whatever position they may be placed. The loop or eye 28 ofthc pendulum-ball 29 is or may be rigidly and immovably connected with the said ball.

The rear end of the bracket 30 is provided with a wing 31, Within which the rear end of the worm-shaft 32 is mounted, while the front end of said shaft is mounted in the rim 9 and has a squared portion 33, Fig. 2, projecting at some convenient point for the application of a proper key for turning the said shaft. A worm 34 is mounted at the rear end of the worm-shaft 32 in proper engagement With the pinion or gear 23, whereby turning the wormshaft moves the pinion 23 and regulatingscrew 21 to. carry the friction-slide up and down, and thereby shorten or lengthen the effective length of the pendulum-rod.

In the clock from which the accompanying drawings were made the parts are so related to each other that one revolution of the worm shaft equals one minute per day in regulating the clock, while at the same time the pendulum-rod is exceedingly short, and consequently very sensitive, so that one revolution of the worm-shaft for effecting the said change of one minute per day only moves the friction-slide .003 of an inch.

It is apparent that some changes from the specific construction herein disclosed may be made, and therefore I do not Wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise form of construction shown and described, but desire the liberty to make such changes in working my invention as may fairly come within the spirit and scope of the same.

I am aware that a prior patent shows and describes a pendulum-regulator in which the end of the pendulum-rod is mounted on a head or top piece at the lower end of a rack bar that is operated by a worm and pinion,

whereby the periphery of the pinion and the rack-bar move at the same speed, and that another prior patent shows and describes a pendulum-regulator in which the end of the pendulum-rod is mounted on a thin flat nut, the said nut being mounted on a vertical regulating-screw, the diameter of which is in excess of the thickness of said nut and the said screw being operated by a pair of wheels set at right angles to each other. All of said prior art is hereby disclaimed.

By my improvement a very fine and delicate micrometer-regulator is produced that is especially adapted for a very short pendulumrod and will operate with precision and accuracy.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a regulator for clocks, the combination of the pendulunrrod'with a supporting base or frame, the regulatingscrew 21, the friction-slide mounted on the threaded body of said screw, and a friction-spring between the said slide and the base on which the said regulating-screw is mounted, substantially as described.

2. In a regulator for clocks, the combination of a supporting-base with a fixed post 19 mounted thereon, the pendulum-rod secured by its upper end to said fixed post, the Vertical regulating-screw, the slide mounted on the threaded body of the said screw, a slotted guide mounted on the said slide and embracing the spring portion of said pendulum-rod,

an operating-shaft and connecting mechanism between the said shaft and the regulatin g-screw for greatly reducing motion, Whereby several revolutions of the said shaft are necessary in order to impart one revolution to the said screw, substantially as described.

In a regulator for clocks, the combination of a supporting base or frame with the pendulurn-rod, a supportingpost and slotted guide by means of which the said pendulumrod is mounted, a vertically-moving slide, a vertical regulating-screw upon the threaded body of which the said slide is mounted, a horizontally-arranged pinion mounted on the said screw and the worm for operating the said pinion, substantially as described.

4. In a regulator, the combination of a supporting base or frame with the vertically-arranged regulating screw mounted on said frame, means for operating the said screw, a vertically arranged slide mounted on the threaded body of said screw, with its threaded bearings extending longitudinally of said screw a distance in excess of the diameter thereof, a pendulum-rod and a fixed post and slotted guide mounted upon the said supporting base or frame and the said slide, substantially as described.

ALMERON M. LANE.

Witnesses:

JAMES SHEPARD, M. R. ALEXANDER. 

